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The New Orleans Saints have declined the fifth-year option on cornerback Eli Apple’s contract, according to a report by NFL Network on Wednesday (May 1).

Apple, the 10th overall pick by the New York Giants in 2016, would have received $13.7 million for the 2020 season had the Saints added the option to his deal. All draft picks sign four-year contracts, but first-round picks have a fifth-year team option.



The Saints acquired Apple in a trade last October as they sent the Giants a 2019 fourth-round pick and a 2020 seventh-round pick. New Orleans was seeking cornerback help after a rough start by Crawley, and Apple helped improve the secondary play in the second half of the season. In 10 games with New Orleans, Apple had 52 tackles, nine passes defensed and two interceptions, and he’s projected to start again in 2019.

However, the $13.7 million price tag of the fifth-year option would have made Apple among the highest paid cornerbacks in the league in 2020, and the Saints aren’t ready to commit to that high salary. The deadline for teams to pick up the option is Thursday (May 2).

Apple is still under contract for 2019 with a base salary for $2.5 million, but he’s now set to become an unrestricted free agent next March.

NOLA

jeanpierre

No brain'er - likely the best CB tandem in the league. With all DBs healthy for the playoffs, and Gardner stepping up as a safety, Saints will likely have among the best secondary in the NFL...

K Major

Eli needs to ball out of control in 2019, then set himself up for a better/long term deal with the Saints or on the open market elsewhere.

SmashMouth

Have the Saints come around on the ways of the New England Patriots?

GeauxForMore

2019 make or break year for him......great move Saints.

jeanpierre

Or he could just play at the level he was after his initial games by fire and that still will be great for us...

Utah_Saint

He's good but he's not $13.6 million good. I hope he understands that and signs an extension for a lot less.

ScottF

These guys make $12m+

I like Apple, but obviously he is not in the same class

Josh Norman
Trumaine Johnson
Xavier Rhodes
Patrick Peterson
Desmond Trufant
A.J. Bouye
Stephon Gilmore
Janoris Jenkins
Malcolm Butler
Aqib Talib

hitta

Tbh, I'm not worried about our defense at all this year(which is hilarious considering just a few years ago it was our Achilles heel). Our WRs/TEs will make or break us this year.

K Major

In my mind, these two positions will be the most improved in 2019.

It helps adding an All Pro TE to the mix.